# Broken models detected Form2

**URL:** <https://forum.formlabs.com/t/broken-models-detected-form2/10609>\
**Category:** Form 2\
**Created:** [November 22, 2016, 8:28pm UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/broken-models-detected-form2/10609 "2016-11-22T20:28:23Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![bikeman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d6d6ee/32.png) [@bikeman](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/bikeman)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2016, 8:28pm UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/broken-models-detected-form2/10609/1 "2016-11-22T20:28:23Z")

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When opening .stl files in preform I get “Broken Models Detected” I can open the same files on my Afinia FDM machine and they print just fine. What is going on?

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**Author:** ![kevinduhe](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/forum.formlabs.com/kevinduhe/32/7999_2.png) [@kevinduhe](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/kevinduhe)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2016, 9:37pm UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/broken-models-detected-form2/10609/2 "2016-11-22T21:37:10Z")

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It means it detected that something is wrong with the model based on it’s algorithms which are borrowed from Netfabb. You can see a new and very thorough demo of things that can go wrong in an STL file in the following video:

> **[Start with a Good STL or OBJ File](https://support.formlabs.com/hc/en-us/articles/115000021950)**
>
> Novice and expert printer users start the same, with 3D models. These design practices ensure each STL or OBJ file is ready to be printed.
> Making Models Printable
> Novice and expert printer users st...

My advice is to open your file in [Meshmixer](http://www.meshmixer.com/). Click on Analysis -\> inspector and it will show you exactly whats wrong and how to fix it. With that said I have had a couple models where Preform complained and Meshmixer showed no errors and they printed just fine.

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**Author:** ![Randy\_Cohen](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/forum.formlabs.com/randy_cohen/32/1500_2.png) [@Randy\_Cohen](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/Randy_Cohen)\
**Post date:** [November 23, 2016, 5:01pm UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/broken-models-detected-form2/10609/3 "2016-11-23T17:01:06Z")

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Download NetFabb and run the free version. It doesn’t fix everything but it will do an excellent job of telling you what’s busted. The repair algorithms in PreForm do not do as good a job as the free capability of the stand-alone NetFabb app. MeshMixer will do everything just as well (more things, in fact), but NetFabb is a little easier to use IMO.

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**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/uploads/formlabs/original/3X/5/b/5bc2bdf993ff27c2e0eecab5010b25626fbb327a.png) [@system](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [December 7, 2016, 5:01pm UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/broken-models-detected-form2/10609/4 "2016-12-07T17:01:13Z")

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